The Occupation of Tucson (and dozens of other cities, including Phoenix) began yesterday, October 15, 2011. Early in the day, as many as 500 people came to Armory Park, south of downtown, to protest corporate control of the US government, to demand an end to our corrupt corporate-financed election system, to advocate for jobs, healthcare, and housing for the 99%, and to send a wake-up call to our do-nothing Congress.

People of all ages marched into downtown and back to the park around midday, while some peacefully took their protest into the Tucson Meet Yourself event, taking place in and around the city’s center.

Occupy Tucson was well organized with music, a kitchen, and several tents. According to the Arizona Daily Star, approximately 150 camped out over night. Some protesters were arrested in Tucson and Phoenix, according to the Star.

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I stopped by Armory Park about 11 a.m. and it seemed like 800 people were there, including former Councilmembers Steve Leal and Molly McKasson. Later at 2:30 p.m. the crowd had dwindled down to about half that, but there were still speakers & music.

Yes, Carolyn, there was a much larger crowd earlier in the day. Jim said the march into downtown was inspiring. I took a wrong turn at the Snake Bridge (long story) and got there after 1 pm. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds locally.

Too bad there is so little interest in this movement from our current elected officials.

I witnessed about 50 Occupy Tucsonans marching through downtown about an hour ago, then returning to Armory Park. Attorney Paul Gattone told me that 40 individuals were “cited & released” last night for staying/camping beyond 10:30 p.m. One of them was Green Mayoral candidate Mary DeCamp, whom I just spoke to. Many are staying there tonight as well. About 6 – 8 Tucson police officers are observing right now.

Why aren’t the same people that want others to pay for their Student loans protesting the 900 days that the democratically run Senate hasn’t passed a Budget, which is required of them? We were in DC when crowds of close to 100,000 had no arrests and left no trash. Hmmm different agendas, different values and different groups!

Good job spreading a known cultists website and music. You feature prominenetly in your video the followers of Gabriel of Urantia (aka Tony Devlin). He was there too, but not on the video. He proclaims himself a messiah, although you have to get to their compound in Tumacacori, AZ. before the weirdness and mind control games begin. Along with giving up all your worldly goods to Mr. Devlin cum Micheal Nadon, the saviour of many planets, he decides who mates with whom and who will raise your children. All family who are not part of the cult are not permitted contact with the cultists. Btw, at the height of the real estate madness their cults property (in Sedona and Tubac) was estimated to be worth 80 million.
The fact you show one of their websites prominently in the video is more problematic than just using their music (although they were only there for 3 hours and other musicians were there much longer). I hope you realize they only came to recruit people to their cult. They carried no protest signs, but made sure everyone knew how to contact them, and in fact invited all who would listen to come to their little version of Jim Jones’ Guyanna. Maybe you could re -edit that video to more accurately represent the 99% than something that promotes millionaire cultists.

The last few moments sum up what Occupy Wall Street is all about – “end corporate welfare” and “end corporate control of the government”. I’m puzzled how anyone could argue that this movement is not a good thing.

I had a good time, stepped away briefly from my 55th THS reunion, listened to some nice music, talked to some hip people, looked over at the Children’s Museum and got taken back to when it was the library of my youth, a refuge from the outer world and all its games. What a wonderful event. Thank you, my dear home town. And as my generation would say: “Power to the People!” with Sly and the Family Stone or somebody playing in the background. It’s got to be funky! And Occupy Tucson was that and mucho mas.

Best sign there: “Government regulated by the PEOPLE, not by more government.” The SEC knew about Bernie Madoff, they just chose not to do anything. They knew about Goldman Sachs’ “synthetic” CDO’s, but they did nothing and used our money to pay off $85 billion in rich people’s CDO bets.

The right AND the left should be able to agree that our government is owned by special interests on both sides, and the highest bidder is getting what they want, all the time. And until we demand integrity from ALL politicians – not just the ones you don’t agree with – we’ll see more of the same.

Since Herman Cain believes that the average American can just go to their Church for help with health care needs, it seems appropriate to have an Occupy Your Church Day for all those with no health care. We would like to start with Holy Herman’s church.
And for the 17% unemployment rate amongst OEF/ OIF veterans, maybe he could just gift them a Godfather Pizza franchise, so they can pull themselves up by the cheese straps, and pay the approximately $1600.oo a month tab for health care for a family of 5. That would be my son and grandsons monthly nut.

I think the most important four-letter word that people would like to get reacquainted with is “hope”. “Jobs” is another one.

You can dismiss and disparage the protestors easily enough, just as “The Gub’ner” dismissed and disparaged the civil rights movement. Maybe you will be remembered, as he is, as someone who stood in the doorway, trying to block people seeking equality and freedom; someone who was then run over and left behind as a relic of history.

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Governor Ducey had proposed increasing prison beds and funding, while cutting education. Protesters took issue with that short-sighted idea.

We often hear that corporations need migrant workers because Americans “don’t want to do these jobs.” When I hear this statement, I picture farm workers picking vegetables. Recently, I toured two dairies and an animal feed packing plant in Pinal County. The photo above from the Zinke Dairy shows a giant cow milking carousel. Nine migrant workers milk 4000 cows three times a day at this dairy. Legislators watched the two men pictured here– working at a brisk pace– bend over and pick up, lift, and attach large electronic suction cups to the cows as they ride the carousel around the giant facility. This level of automation is the wave of the future for industrial jobs.

Safe Park, downtown Tucson

Desconocido (unknown)

John Nichols of ‘The Nation’ addressed progressives and unionists at a Tucson event.

Despite the sweltering heat, Jim and I had a great time at the Labor Day Picnic. We collected a lot of Clean Elections $5 donations and signatures. Here I am with LD9 chair Michael Dues.

Protesting migrant deaths in the Arizona desert.

We are the 99%.

PDA Tucson Coordinator Jim Hannley speaks against both the crowd management ordinance and the urban camping ban at the City Council meeting.

I have a background in research. Help me build Tucson’s tech industry and grow our own local businesses.

Rep. Sally Ann Gonzales and I were interviewed by NBC at the Phoenix rally.

Jim and I were part of a contingent of Unitarian Universalists who came up from Tucson. Here I am with Rev. Ron Phares from the Mountain Vista UU Church in my district. (Jim is photobombing us.)

Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley with members of the Tucson Chapter of NOW on opening day at the Arizona Legislature, 2018.

A homeless man sleeps in the shadow of corporate America.

In the 1980s, the Tucson Weekly called Tucson the “Baked Apple”.

The Living Economy event was very informative; we had a great time hob-nobbing. My husband Jim is a small business owner and a member of Local First Arizona. I have owned two small businesses in the past– Powers/Queen Associates and Wind Dancer Design. We support Local First Arizona and buying/investing locally. We believe that supporting local small businesses with low-interest loans through a public/private partnership between a public bank and community banks and credit unions is the sustainable route to improving our local economy. Trickle down economics doesn’t work; it’s time for new ideas.

Jobs with Justice marching with Occupy Tucson in support of postal workers.

Occupy encampment in Armory Park– before it was cleared out in the middle of the night by Tucson Police.

There have been many lively debates in the Arizona House in 2018. This team of House Democrats fought for consumer protections and fought against risky financial deals in a “regulatory sandbox.” (Pictured are Reps. Mitzi Epstein, Kelli Butler, Athena Salman, Pamela Powers Hannley, Ken Clark and Isela Blanc.)

It was truly a honor to meet Nevada State Senator Patricia Spearman (center) in October and to confer with her regarding our efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in Arizona. Spearman led the successful Nevada efforts to ratify the ERA in 2017. Here we are with activist and NOW leader Dainne Post after the ERA workshop at the We the People Conference in Phoenix. There are a lot of Arizona women who are ready to make history in 2018. Watch my blog here and my Facebook page here for ERA updates.

Visiting with PALF chairman Fred Yamashita at the 2016 Labor Day Picnic.

Ironically, I posted this blog post on the anniversary of this election on June 19. 1970ish.

A giant poet’s head made up of stainless steel letters marks the stop near the UA Poetry Center.

Congressman Ron Barber and Pamela Powers Hannley at Cyclovia

This is a broken sink in the Ladies’ Room at the Arizona State Building in downtown Tucson. One of the elevators also was broken. It’s time to fix Arizona government.

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I stand on the side of Love. I believe in kindness to all creatures on Earth and the inherent self-worth of all individuals--not just people who agree with me or look like me.

Widespread economic and social injustice prompted me to become a candidate for the Arizona House, representing Legislative District 9 in the 2016 election. My platform focuses on economic reforms to grow Arizona's economy, establish a state-based public bank, fix our infrastructure, fully fund public education, growlocal small businesses and community banks, and put people back to work at good-paying jobs. I also stand for equal rights, choice, and paycheck fairness for women. I am running as a progressive and running clean.

My day job is managing editor for the American Journal of Medicine, an academic medicine journal with a worldwide circulation. In addition, my husband and I co-direct Arizonans for a New Economy, Arizona's public banking initiative. I am a member of the national board of the Public Banking Institute, and I am co-chair of the Arizona Democratic Progressive Caucus, the largest caucus of the Arizona Democratic Party.

I am a published author, photographer, videographer, clay artist, mother, nana, and wife. I have a bachelor's degree in journalism from Ohio State University and a masters in public health from the University of Arizona. I grew up in Amherst, Ohio, but I have lived in Tucson, Arizona since 1981. I am a proud member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tucson and the Public Relations Society of America.

My Tucson Progressive blog and Facebook page feature large doses of liberal ideas, local, state, and national politics, and random bits of humor. I also blog at Blog for Arizona and the Huffington Post.